View source for Team 7

{{short description|Fictional comic book superhero team}}
{{Infobox comics organization <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
|image=Team 7 1 cover.jpg
|caption=''Team 7'' #1 (art by [[Whilce Portacio]])
|publisher=[[WildStorm]] ([[DC Comics]])
|debut=''Team 7'' #1 (October 1994)
|creators=[[Chuck Dixon]] and [[Aron Wiesenfeld]]
|base=
|members=[[Deathblow (comics)|Michael Cray]]<br>John Lynch<br> [[Grifter (comics)|Cole Cash]]<br>[[Backlash (Marc Slayton)|Marc Slayton]]<br>[[Dane (Wildstorm)|Jackson Dane]]<br>Christie Blaze
|subcat=Wildstorm Comics
|hero=y
|villain=
|sortkey=Team 7 (comics)
}}

'''Team 7''' is a [[comic book]] [[superhero]] team that appeared in titles published by [[Wildstorm Productions]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Korte |first3=Steve |last4=Manning |first4=Matt |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |last6=Wilson |first6=Sven |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |date=2016 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-5357-0 |page=305}}</ref> The team has appeared in 3 self-titled miniseries:  ''Team 7'', ''Team 7: Objective Hell'' and ''Team 7: Dead Reckoning''. The first 5-issue [[Gen¹³|Gen<sup>13</sup>]] [[Limited series (comics)|limited series]] also involved members of Team 7. The team's members have played a major role throughout the [[Wildstorm Universe]]. In September 2011, [[The New 52]] rebooted DC's continuity, bringing in Wildstorm characters, including Team 7.

==Publication history==
Team 7 debuted in a self-titled four-issue limited series, published in 1994–95. Writer [[Brandon Choi]] remarked on this mini-series that "I really enjoyed [writer] [[Chuck Dixon]]'s portrayal of the team members, especially [[Grifter (comics)|Cole]]. He really wove Cole's background into the whole Team 7 story in a very believable fashion."<ref>{{cite news | last = Brady | first= Matthew | date = August 1997 | title = Character Profile: Grifter | work = [[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]] | issue = 72 | pages = 124–5}}</ref>

The team was featured in the series ''[[Wetworks (comics)|Wetworks]]''.

A new ongoing series about the group was announced by DC in June 2012.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120616155606/http://geek-news.mtv.com/2012/06/08/dc-comics-new-52-zero-month/ "DC Comics Announces New 52 'Zero Month,' 4 New Titles", MTV Geek]</ref> It began with a "#0" issue in November, and ended with a "#8" issue in July 2013. The series was written by [[Justin Jordan]] and illustrated by an assortment of artists. Set five years in the past during the emergence of superheroes, the group's membership consists of a combination of DCU and Wildstorm characters: [[Black Canary|Dinah Drake]], [[Amanda Waller]], [[Larry Lance|Kurt Lance]], Summer Ramos, James Bronson, Dean Higgins, John Lynch, Alex Fairchild, [[Grifter (comics)|Cole Cash]], and [[Deathstroke|Slade Wilson]].

==Fictional biography==
Team 7 was officially the seventh incarnation of a group of military specialists gathered from various government forces (a [[Team Zero]] was later revealed, making Team 7 the group's eighth incarnation).

Team 7 took its orders from Miles Craven, director of International Operations. Craven wanted his own army of superhumans, and therefore dropped a chemical known as the "Gen-Factor" on the members of Team 7 during a (suicide) mission. When they awoke from their Gen-Factor induced comas, Team 7 was told that the enemy had dropped a chemical weapon on them. As a result of the Gen-Factor, Team 7 (except for Michael Cray) started to develop superhuman powers. It would be years before Cray himself would develop similar abilities. Team 7 member Cole Cash distrusted Craven and suspected that he was behind the experiment. Several members of Team 7 were unable to cope with their new powers and went mad or committed suicide. At least one had to be shot during a subsequent mission. As a test, Craven dropped a "low-yield nuke" on Team 7. The members survived through co-operation and went into hiding.<ref>''Team 7'' #1–4 (October 1994–February 1995)</ref>

Sometime later, Team 7 returned to work for I.O. and were sent to destroy a cache of nuclear weapons from [[Cambodia]] before the [[Khmer Rouge]] could get them. The team succeeded, but learned that a pair of [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] superhumans were trailing them. They battled them, but they turned out to be too strong and Jackson Dane went into a coma. The Cambodian blind girl X'ing X'iang, who had displayed superhuman mental powers before, overpowered one of the Soviet agents, while Michael Cray shot the other one. The team returned to the U.S. and took X'ing X'iang with them.<ref>''Team 7: Objective Hell'' #1–3 (May 1995–July 1995)</ref>

Years later, the Team 7 members were ordered to bring in the Soviet scientist, Dbovchek. Cole Cash entered the Soviet Union on his own to find out more about Dbovchek while the rest of the team went on the mission. Dbovchek turned out to be one of the main scientists behind the Russian psionic program. The mission turned out to be a failure; Dbovchek was killed and Cash was captured. Cash discovers that his mental powers were waning, but John Lynch saved him.

Back in the U.S., Jackson Dane awoke from his coma under the influence of International Operations. Dane's powers turned out to be far stronger than the rest of Team 7 combined, but Cray brought in X'ing X'iang who freed Dane. She found out through Dane that Miles Craven had become interested in the children of Team 7, so most Team 7 members took their families and went into hiding. This would turn out to be the end of Team 7, though most members would stay in contact and occasionally reunite.<ref>''Team 7: Dead Reckoning'' #1–4 (January 1996–April 1996)</ref>

Jackson Dane would lead a new Team 7 years later.

===DC Universe===
After the events of the ''[[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]]'' limited series, the Wildstorm Universe was assimilated into the [[DC Universe]] as seen in 2011's launch of [[The New 52]]. In this timeline, Team 7 was assembled by John Lynch, to prevent future metahuman threats. Members like [[Black Canary]], [[Deathstroke]], and [[Grifter (comics)|Grifter]] gained their superpowers while working in the team. The team was disbanded after a mission retrieving Pandora's Box.

==Membership==
===Last Wildstorm incarnation===
* Lt. Commander John Lynch / Topkick: The team leader and former head of I.O.'s Black Razors.
* [[Backlash (Marc Slayton)|Col. Marc Slayton / Backlash]]: An alien soldier and former member of [[Team Zero]], [[Team One]], [[Stormwatch (comics)|Stormwatch]], and [[Wildcore]].
* [[Grifter (character)|Cole Cash / Dead Eye / Grifter]]: An expert gunslinger and the youngest member of the team who possesses a halted aging process.
* [[Deathblow (comics)|Commander Michael Cray / Deathblow]]: A Navy SEAL who initially lacked psionic powers.
* Col. Jackson Dane / Arclight
* Christie Blaze

===Former members===
* Philip Chang / Bulleteer
* Stephen Callahan / Wraparound: A Marine who had faked his death.
* Captain Alexander Thomas Fairchild / Slaphammer: A member who was killed in action.

===Other members===
* Berckmann: Died from the side effects of Gen-Factor exposure.
* Robert Diaz / Bloodmoon.
* Andrew Johnson: Shot by Cole Cash for abusing his powers in sadistic ways.
* Richard MacNamara / Boloround: Committed suicide after exposure to the Gen-Factor.
* Lucius Morgan
* Jack Rhodes / Cyberjack

===New 52 incarnation===
* '''[[Amanda Waller]]'''
* '''Alex Fairchild'''
* '''[[Mister Majestic|James Bronson]]'''
* '''[[Cole Cash]]'''
* '''[[Dinah Lance|Dinah Drake]]''' 
* '''John Lynch'''
* '''[[Kurt Lance]]''' 
* '''Summer Ramos''' 
* '''Dean Higgins''' 
* '''[[Slade Wilson]]'''
* '''[[Steve Trevor]]'''

==Other versions==
===Flashpoint===
An alternate universe iteration of Team 7 appears in ''[[Flashpoint (comics)|Flashpoint]]'', led by [[Grifter (Wildstorm)|Grifter]] and consisting of [[John Stewart (character)|John Stewart]], [[Kate Kane]], [[Magog (comics)|David Reid]], [[Sgt. Rock]], [[Lady Blackhawk|Zinda Blake]], and [[Losers (comics)|Gunner]].<ref>''Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance'' #2 (July 2011)</ref>

==Related titles==

Titles starring Team 7:

*''Team 7'' series 1
*''Team 7: Objective Hell''
*''Team 7/[[Team X (comics)|Team X]]'' (intercompany crossover with [[Marvel Comics]])
*''Team 7: Dead Reckoning''
*''[[Gen 12]]''
*''[[Kindred (Image Comics)|The Kindred]]''
*''[[Wildstorm Rising]]'' (''Team 7: Objective Hell'' #1 was the prologue and various of former members appeared in this crossover)
*''[[Fire From Heaven (comics)|Fire From Heaven]]'' series

Solo titles starring former Team 7-members:

*''[[Backlash (Marc Slayton)|Backlash]]''
*''[[Deathblow (comics)|Deathblow]]''
*''[[Grifter (Wildstorm)|Grifter]]''

Titles starring related teams:

*''[[DV8]]'', featuring the children of Team 7-members.
*''[[Gen¹³|Gen<sup>13</sup>]]'', featuring the children of Team 7-members, John Lynch and Alex Fairchild.
*''[[Point Blank (comics)|Point Blank]]'', featuring Cole Cash, John Lynch and Marc Slayton
*''[[Sleeper (comic book)|Sleeper]]'', featuring John Lynch, Cole Cash and Marc Slayton.
*''[[Stormwatch (comics)|Stormwatch]]'', initially featuring Marc Slayton.
*''[[Team One]]'', precursor to Team 7, featuring Marc Slayton.
*''[[Team Zero]]'', precursor to Team 7, featuring Marc Slayton.
*''[[Wetworks (comics)|Wetworks]]'', successor to Team 7, featuring Jackson Dane.
*''[[Wildcore]]'', featuring Marc Slayton.
*''[[WildC.A.T.S.]]'', featuring Cole Cash.

== References==
{{reflist}}
{{Grifter (character)}}
{{Deathblow}}
{{WildCATs}}

{{The New 52}}

[[Category:1994 comics debuts]]
[[Category:DC Comics superhero teams]]
[[Category:WildStorm superhero teams]]
[[Category:WildStorm limited series]]
[[Category:DC Comics titles]]